Paragraph Writing: Backwards Land!

     My older students had fun with paragraph writing by creating an imaginary place and writing about its landscape, people, climate, customs, animals, and more!  How did they come up with the name?  They spelled a real place backwards!  We had fun trying to pronounce the new name, and picturing the type of place that would match a fancy, silly, or adventurous kind of name.  Enjoy these paragraphs, and decide if you'd like to visit!

Eohat Ekal, by Jerry (5th grade)

     If you're a fan of hats, then Eohat Ekal is the place for you!  The people there are really nice, and there are many great sights to be seen.  But beware, if you don't have a hat, you'll get a hat superglued right on to your head when you set foot there!  You'll also probably want to wear t-shirts and shorts because it's really hot there.  There are many wacky animals called hat animals.  These are animals with unremovable hats on their heads.  If you're lucky, you'll encounter either a gorillaphant, giraffken, or a cird.  You'll also probably want to bring a camera, because you'll want to show your friends the wonderful sights!  So remember, if you plan on going to Eohat Ekal, be sure to wear a hat!

Do you know what Jerry's backwards land is forward?  And do you know why he focused so much on the hat theme?  Well done, Jerry!


Sarah (4th grade) couldn't stick to just one topic for Napaj.  So she wrote a mini essay on her Backwards Land.  And if you are wondering how to pronounce "Napaj," try saying it "Nuh-pahj."  It's much fancier than "Nap-ij!"

     Napaj is a very posh place with very posh people.  The women usually wear dresses and the men usually wear tuxedos.  They are never messy in town.  Only a few people farm, and the only thing they grow are carrots.  They get all the rest of their food from Japan.  All the people love ballet dancing.

     All around Napaj it is very beautiful.  Napaj has a very clear area all around.  For some reason, there is only one mountain in sight.  There are lots of small rose patches dotted around the clear, flat area with other flowers.  Napajians say that the sunsets there are gorgeous.  They also say that it looks magical when it snows in winter.  It looks really moist, even though it is really sunny.

     The rulers are very rich, and they live in a  palace.  The king's name is Norobo.  The Queen's name is Elizabeth the Fourth.  Finally, the princess' name is Laura.

     Napaj is the fanciest place in the world!

Paragraph Writing: Summer Vacation

The "Budding Authors and Artists" learned that a paragraph is all about ONE topic.  Since summer was still fresh in our memories, we wrote about a fun summer memory we wanted to share with the class.  The students were encouraged to use a descriptive adjective in at least two sentences.  Enjoy these samples of beautiful writing and art!  It sounds like these girls had really fun summers!

 Alyssa, 1st grade

Chloe, 2nd grade

Noun Poems!

As we continued our study of parts of speech, the "Budding Authors and Artists" wrote Noun Poems.  These are a Mad Lib style, fill-in-the-blank activity, where the students choose common and proper nouns when prompted by the teacher.  The end result is a poem they didn't know they were creating.  They often times turn out quite humorous! The underlined, bold words are the nouns the children chose as they were being prompted.  Enjoy!

A Noun Poem

By Kaden (1st grade)

My video game,  my video game 

I love it!  It's cool.

I'd like to buy one for Nicky at school.

I bring mine with me wherever I go,

From Legoland to home to Colorado.

My friends Nick and Alex

Say a star is more useful.

But I feel that I must remain truthful.

I will hold my video game close to my heart.

And hope that we never, ever must part!

A Noun Poem

By Danika (2nd grade)

My desk, my desk,

I love it!  It's cool.

I'd like to buy one for Rayne at school.

I bring mine with me wherever I go,

From Disneyland to New York City to Colorado.

My friends Chloe and Daniella 

Say a book is more useful.

But I feel that I must remain truthful.

I will hold my desk close to my heart.

And hope that we never, ever must part!

Having Fun with Adjectives with Name Poems

My younger students are still learning the value of adjectives.  So, our next assignment was to describe ourselves using the letters in our names.  Enjoy these fabulous Name Poems!

S is for sweet, stupendous, and spectacular
A is for awesome and A-OK
V is for very cute and crazy
I is for impressive and intelligent
A is for amazing
N is for nice, noisy, and nifty
A is for absolutely fabulous

~Saviana, 1st grade
(Notice how well Saviana dealt with tricky V, plus having three A's in her name!)

N is for nice
A is for awesome
T is for terrific
H is for handsome
A is for amazing
N is for neat

~Nathan, 2nd grade
(Great job with two N's and two A's!)


S is for a super soccer player who has silky hair
A is for an awesome animal lover
M is for having a marvelous mommy
A is for being an amazing friend
N is for nice and neat writing, and eating nectarines
T is for being on the terrific Tigers soccer team
H is for having a happy heart
A is for drawing wonderful art

~Samantha, 3rd grade
(I love the rhyme at the end, and the compliment to her Mommy!!)

Fabulous Sentence Writing

No matter what age I teach, we start every workshop off with a lesson in detailed sentence writing.  All students, grades K-5, were given this base sentence:

The sun shines.

From there, we added:

~adjectives

~where phrases or clauses

~when phrases or clauses

The older students added:

~adverbs

~And they also learned how to start a sentence with "Because."

I always enjoy posting all grade levels for this particular assignment.  You can see how the students improve year to year!  Enjoy these samples:

 The light, bright sun shines in the sky next to a cloud in the morning.

~Tyler, Kindergarten

The hot, yellow sun shines next to a rainbow in the summer.
~Nikolas, 1st grade

 The bright, yellow sun shines next to the rainbow in the summer.

~Daniella, Grade 2

While the brown baby fawn is going to sleep, the sparkly and hot sun shines brightly over her.  ~Jessica, Grade 3

 Because the glowing bright sun shines flamingly, the ocean glistens at sunset.  ~Morgan, 4th grade

On top of the magnificent snow-capped mountains, the gold and yellow star-shaped sun shines sleepily when the sky starts turning orange. ~Kaitlyn, 5th grade

5 Poetic Tools

My "Awesome Authors and Artists" Class got to learn five tools that make poetry sound fabulous:

1. end line rhyme- rhyme at the end of a line
2. internal line rhyme- rhyme in the middle of a line
3. repetition- words repeated 3-4 times
4. alliteration- 2 or more words starting with the same sound
5. onomatopoeia- words that sound like their meaning

My 4th and 5th graders did such a wonderful job with these tools that it was hard to pick just a few to put on the blog.  So I picked seven!!  Enjoy these fantastic poems, and see if you can find the tools listed above!

Caramel, by Anika (4th grade)

Soft, thick, gooey, sweet,
Caramel has a taste that nothing can beat.
Homemade or not, it's always great,
Once it's made, I can not wait.
Tasting the sugar melt in my mouth
Don't forget its beautiful color: brown!
Slurp, slurp, slurp!  Gulp, gulp, gulp!
Down goes the caramel, yum, yum, yum!


Fudge Cake, by Medha (4th grade)

Fudge cake is something sweet,
Jelly doughnuts can not beat.

Chomp! Chomp! Chew it in your mouth.
Fudge cake is the best in town!

Eat it with ice cream, eat it with berries,
Of course you can always eat it with a cherry!

Hot, cold, temperature doesn't matter
The next thing you know, you're eating the batter.

Frosted, iced, never bent,
Fudge cake is better when you share it with a friend!



Yummy Spaghetti, by Mathis (4th grade)

The stringy, yummy spaghetti
dashes down my hungry tummy.
The waiter says it is tomato saucey
I slurp it down to my amazed stomach,
Noodles left my plate 
and into my full tummy.
Yummy, yummy spaghetti
Into pieces in my tummy.

Are you hungry after reading those poems?! 

Tennis, by Ritik (5th grade)

I stand in the court
As I hold the racket in my hand.
I haul the ball in the air.
Read to serve.
My opponent swerves to the ball, and hits it.
Bang!
I hear the ball roar as it soars through the air.
Hit, hit, hit
I win the match and snatch the ball,
as I am enthralled with the trophy.

Can you tell what his favorite sport is??


The Cat, by Julia (4th grade)

Meow Meow,
Goes the tabby cat
Super thick fur and nice and fat
Click clack go her nails on the floor
Playing with her is a real bore!
Sleeps so much it drives me crazy,
Her movements are lazy, so life is hazy.
Snuggle, snuggle, cuddle, cuddle, cuddle
Tabby sleepy, wraps in a bundle
Purr purr purr...... 
Maybe there is something cute about her!!

I love how Julia uses her poetic tools so effectively, and how she changes her mind about the cat at the end!

 Ocean Reef, by Sofia (5th grade)

The ocean reef has many places to see
So very full of beauty
Swimming in the clear ocean
Makes you feel like tasting a good potion
Fish and other creatures too
Will greet you as you swim right through
Beaches with bright white sand
Making castles with your hands
Are you enjoying your day
Here at the bay?

Rain, by Leila (5th grade)

I sit inside on my bed and think,
When suddenly I hear a plink, plink, plink.
A grin on my face, I rush to the door,
A wet sensation, water galore!
Rain, puddles, water dripping from trees,
A wonderland, a wet everything.
I smile and run out to play,
Because rain does not come every day.
I splash and jump and laugh and clap,
And then a branch suddenly snaps.
The lightning starts, followed by thunder,
I find an overhang and go under.
Too windy, cold, and wet to go outside,
I walk away and let out a sigh.
And a little while later, what do you know?
Out there, in the sky, is a beautiful rainbow.

These girls paint such beautiful pictures in their readers' minds!

Great poetry everybody!!!  Don't you just love reading and writing poetry??
    

Poetry Time! Let's try some Onomatopoeia!

My Budding Authors and Artists class learned the poetic tool "Onomatopoeia."  What does that big word mean?  Onomatopoeia is when words sound like their meaning, like "Boom," "Splash," and "Click."  Onomatopoeia is really fun to use in poetry!  Check out these samples!  (Some students liked to rhyme, too!)

Lightning, by Sienna (2nd grade)

I looked down at the ground
Hearing a cracking lightning sound
Boom, crack, and crash
Lightning coming closer, Flash!
It was getting very late.
It was getting close to eight.
Oh wait.
I heard the gate.
I went inside my room,
And I was warm soon.


Enormous Me, by Kendal (3rd grade)

I am a fish
Swimming in a dish
There is only one wish
I wish to 
Swish
and Swash
in the ocean.
I am a killer whale
I deserve better than this!
I would be near
The pier.
I would stay all year
With sharks
And not a tear of fear! 


McDonald's Rush, by Mitchell (3rd grade)

Welcome to my restaurant
Hamburger please
Kaching Bah-bing, sizzle sizzle splat
Kaching, vroom vroom room
Shhhhhh sssssss flip flop yummy, num num gulp
Thank you!
Squirt squirt, splat chit chat

May I have a burger please?
Thank you Sir!

Kaching, bah-bing,
Bye Restaurant!

A Day in the Life of a Personified Object

What would it be like to live a day in the life of an object we see or use every day?  For three weeks, I called on the students by their new personified object name.  Students became a variety of things, from school supplies to home accessories; from sporting equipment to clothing; from food to historical landmarks.  The students were very creative as they mapped out how their day would begin and end.  Some of them also got very creative with the use of voice.  It was hard to pick just a few samples, but here they are from across the grade levels.  Enjoy!

 

My Life as a Pencil, by Sammie (2nd grade)

     I am a shiny red pencil, waiting to be used by Mrs. Huff's Afternoon Writing Class.  I am in a bag on a yellow table with other pencils.  One pencil is not nice to me.  He scratches my paint off!

     Then class begins, and a naughty boy steals me.  He isn't in Writing Class, and isn't allowed to use me!  My life is ruined.  His pencil box is a mess!  I am uncomfortable.  I do not like my life.  Why couldn't he pick someone else, like the mean pencil?!  The mean boy bites my eraser feet, and I cry.  Then he sharpens me so so much that I feel like my head is getting chopped off!  This hurts!  Because I am now so short, the teacher tells him to throw me away in the garbage can.

     But one of the good things that happens is that Sophia Pencil is in here too!  We can now get thrown away together at least! 

The Weird Life of a Pencil

By Sophia (2nd grade)

     I am a pink sparkly pencil.  I am always treated badly.  First of all, I am in a clear pencil box.  I see the lights coming on.  I see a line of kids coming in.  My owner, who is a naughty kid, opens the pencil box.  She puts me in the pencil hair cutting place (the pencil sharpener). 

     After she is done, she starts to CHEW on ME!  Then she is told to throw me in the garbage!  I see one of my friends in there with me too.  We start to talk.  After a few minutes, the sky starts to get dark.  Then, I think I look so small.  And my friend does, too.  My friend says, "Am I chewed on, or is it just me?"  Then I say, "You are chewed."  Then, we start to laugh, and then I fall asleep.

My Life as a Sock

By Adeline (3rd grade)

     Hi, I'm Adeline, a purple sock with white polka dots.  I spend a lot of time in a sock drawer that is in a girl's purple room.  Here is the beginning of a day in my life.  

     I hear the thumpety-thumps of my girl rushing into the room.  "Oh no.  Not again," I groan.  She opens the drawer, as usual, and yanks me out.  "Ow, ow, ow!" I wince.

      Next she puts me on her foot.  By now, I'm used to the weird feeling of something being in me.  But at first it felt so wrong and weird, that it tickled me!

  

     Then she runs into the living room-- "Ouch, ooh, ow!" and squishes me into a dark, oval space-- "Eek!"  Wait, what is this place?

     Now I'm going up-down-up-down-up-down.  Wait, why am I stopping?  It's been about ten minutes now.  Whoa!  It feels like I've been thrown off a cliff!  I hear a car door slam, and a muffled "Good-bye!"

     Here I go, going up-down-up-down-up-down again for about ten minutes.  When my owner stops, I hear a loud, muffled, "Riiiingg!" of a bell, and then I start going again.

     By now I am very bruised.  It hurts a lot when I go up-down-up-down.  My owner stops, and then starts tapping me for a looooong time.  It must've been an hour.  Then she starts walking again.

     P.E. class!!  Oh no, this is bad, bad bad!!  Super-duper disgusting and smelly liquid is starting to drip into me!  Yuck!!  Sweat!!

     After a long day, my owner finally takes me off.  Ahhhhhh.  That feels better.  I relax.

     "Washing day!" calls my girl's owner.  YES!!  Someone throws me into the washing machine.  "Round and round the sockey goes, do, do do, dooo!" I sing to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel."

     When the washing machine is done washing, the owner of my girl folds me and puts me back in my drawer.  What a fun and funny day!  And I bet it will all happen again tomorrow!

A Day in the Life of Venetian Lipstick

 By Mira (4th grade)

      This is scandalous. Tragic. Unbelievable. No place for a stylish, delicate, sassy lipstick like me. I cannot believe I am stuck here! My friends say I am overreacting. Dahlings, I am not overreacting. Not in the least. In fact, my friends are a little bit dull and dim-witted, nothing like my brilliant and creative brain.

      I am in an apartment in Venice, Italy. I must admit, Venice is beautiful! All those canals, parades, and romance. But, alas, I can see nothing of it, because most of the time I am…stuck in a bathroom.

      You see, dahlings, I am not meant to be in tiny, enclosed spaces. I am meant to be out in the world, being fashionable, wonderful, and ME! But I rarely get to be outside, only when my owner allows it.

      My owner, Madame Mathilde, is a rather unattractive, talkative, big-boned woman. For months and months, years and years, she has tried to get a date. But, alas, all the men turn her down. Maybe if she could use me better, then she might have a chance, instead of smearing me all over her red, pouty lips. I shudder just to think about it.

      At that moment, Madame Mathilde breezes in. She sets to work with my friends and me. My friends are a pearl-handled comb, some dove-colored face cream, rogue blush, and a deep azure eyeshadow. Though Madame Mathilde is not pretty, she is wealthy.

I watch in horror and grief as Madame Mathilde yanks the comb through her hair, smears face cream all over her nose and cheeks, powders blush up and down her face, and applies her eyeshadow so high that it reaches her eyebrows. She finally reaches down, plucks me up, and slathers me all over her mouth. Smacking her lips in front of an opal hand mirror, she declares herself perfect, and flounces off to a canal, dragging my friends and me as we cling to her tightly. I just hope this date will be short.

      Help me! The part of me that is on her lips is getting panicky on this huge mouth with rows and rows of teeth in it. I’m going to die in here!

      Madame Mathilde has set her date night at the Sicily, a famous restaurant, known for its delicious pasta, pizza, and Strangula Pretti (spinach wrapped in butter and melted cheese.) It also seems as if the Sicily floats on water! Oh, can things get any worse?!

      But, it does get worse! Dahlings, the servers are bringing very much alive and still screaming food to Madame Mathilde and the man across from her! Don’t they have any compassion? I shield my eyes, disgusted and horrified at the carnage my owner and her date are doing and even more worried about the food touching my fragile, pink skin.

Soon the couple finish their dinner and signal for the bill. It is brought by no other than Chef Ferdinand, a small, squat man with a gigantic chef’s hat and moustache. He slaps our bill on the table, his huge meat cleaver’s knife glinting dangerously in the light and his deep, tambour, Italian accent booming.

      Dear God, I pray. Please let this dreadful night be over. A fashionista like me needs beauty rest. At that point, I swoon into a faint. What can I say? I’m delicate.

      I’m totally and fully exhausted. It turns out that I went to all that trouble to be beautiful for nothing. The date did not go well. Not in the least. Madame Mathilde washes me off along with my friends. She is crying and moping about her “lost opportunity.” Madame Mathilde flops down on her bed and is asleep almost instantly. I make myself comfortable between my friends. I admit I can be a little bit self-absorbed and dramatic, but I am still a good lipstick inside. Believe me. You just need some time to get used to me.

         I sigh contentedly and drift off into a long, dreamless slumber. Good night, dahlings.

My Life as a Car Tire

By Catie (5th grade)

     Oh hi.  It's Crabby McCar Tire, here in the boring old shop.  The car I'm supposed to be on broke down, so I'm waiting to be re-purchased.  I hope I don't, because I HATE being on a car.  A screw in my back?!  I mean, just try to live like that.  And carrying all that weight?  I feel like I want to pop.  Which I have done.  Twice.  

     Wait.  Why is the clerk lifting me to the counter?  Oh no, I'm being bought!!

     Ohhhh.... I'm in agony!  I'm in the front of the car, the worst place to be placed.  You experience all the pain first, and harder.  Ohhhh.... the car is being loaded.  And everyone's piling in, with their cameras and maps.  Wait.  Cameras and maps?  My worst fear has come true: ROAD TRIP!!

     *Bump*  OWWW!  Ack, this is terrible!  "Fellow tires," I say, "Obey your new master!"  No reply.  "I said, obey me, and put on those brakes!"  Still no reply.

     Arrgghhh!  Those guys are so dumb.  Please excuse my attitude.  If you can imagine being surrounded by nothingness while spinning at the speed of light, try it.  Not pleasant.  Oh boy, now there's a light in my eyes.  Wait, light?  Light!  A gas station!  Maybe if I pop, I won't have to go on this trip!  Ooooh, I see a sharp rock.  If I can just time it right.....

     P O P !!!!

     Oh geeze, I forgot how unpleasant that is.  But, I get to stay in a remote place, free of buyers.  What's this?  They're unscrewing me, never to use me again!  And now I'm in the dump!  (Paradise for a tire)

     Good bye, it's time for me to live my life in style!  Like I said, it's a tire thing.

MY LIFE AS AN UMBRELLA

                   By Emma (6th grade)

How I adore rainy days! Various sizes of raindrops sliding down my head is what I live for. Outside the window, sidewalks slick with water and morning dew on the grass make everything look picturesque. Young Isabel, my owner, comes skipping down the hall and goes to grab an umbrella. Ohh! She picks the red one with the white daisies….that's me!  I will finally have a chance to experience the outdoors.

Isabel opens me and holds me above her head. I can sense fat, small, large, and minuscule raindrops sliding down my head. It feels like I am taking a cold shower right now. Frigidness overcomes me as well as excitement.  Yay! I am spinning and dancing in this beautiful rain shower.  Puddles looking like small ponds conceal the ground. I stare at the ominous clouds shrouding the sky.

I glance around, my vision slightly blurred from the incessant rainfall. I am able to make out crowds of people, lofty buildings, luminous head lights, and bare tree limbs.

I wish I could stay out here and enjoy the magnificent rain, but I know we are nearing the school. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind sweeps us up and carries us right to the front door.

Luckily, Isabel regains her balance and we are welcomed into the cozy classroom. I am disregarded in the umbrella bucket with others of my kind.

Tic-tock tic-tock goes the clock in the classroom. Isabel has math class right now. I hear the teacher droning on and on. 9+10=19, 20 <  30, and more writing on the wall that I can not understand.  Only five more minutes till recess, and I hope it is outdoors.  I do not enjoy being cooped up in the classroom all day.

Unfortunately, recess is indoors because of the increasingly heavy rainfall. I watch, still waiting as I see puzzles, dolls, art supplies, blocks, and books being taken out. Being small  makes the classroom look colossal.

School passes at the rate of a walking snail! Finally, class is dismissed, and Isabel shrugs on her raincoat.  Waving goodbye to the teacher, we bounce out of the classroom in a hurry to get back home.

The sky has cleared up a little and I can see the sun peeking out from behind the  clouds. Cool, crisp wind caresses me. We pass street lamps and the once deserted park that is now filled with happy children.  While I would love to be open, I am enjoying this view and our stroll  home.

Back home we are dry and warm. Although I love the rain, exhaustion overcomes me. What I need now is a very long nap. Isabel sips hot chocolate at the counter while doing homework. This has been the most magical and exciting day of my life! Who would have thought umbrellas have such an adventurous life?  

Persuasive Writing: Olympic Fever!

For three weeks, my classes loved discussing the Olympics and all of the amazing performances, stunts, successes, and tragedies they witnessed.  This inspired a very fun writing assignment.

The students were to brainstorm what it would be like to combine TWO Olympic sports into one amazing, outrageous new game.  Both the Beginning and the Advanced classes had to think of the following ideas:

~ A clever name
~ How the two sports would be combined
~ Rules/scoring

The "Awesome Authors and Artists" had to take it a step further.  They were to turn their ideas into a persuasive letter to the Olympic Board of Commissioners.  They needed to "sell" their sport and describe its benefits so clearly that... who knows??  Maybe we would see it in the next 2-4 years!

Enjoy these fantastic samples!

To the Board of Commissioners,

     To begin, after witnessing the recent 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia,
I was stunned and shocked to watch the breathtaking events. People all over the
world look forward to seeing such talented athletes. These games bring
excitement to all and build suspense as everyone representing their country
wants to bring home gold.

     The main purpose of this letter is to ask you to include a new game in the
2018 Olympic Games. Without further adieu I present you "Foot-Boarding."Two
of the most popular games at both the Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics
co-ed! Incorporating these two events would lead to great success.
 
     This I how I envision this unique sport. It will have similar rules to a game of
football, but with an interesting twist. Eleven players compete against each other
within an expanse of snow with yellow and blue sidelines. If the ball is thrown or
carried to the end zone it would equal six points, just like in football. Additional
points will be added to their score; if they perform a flip or double corkscrew,
while scoring a point. For example, if the quarterback snowboards with the ball
and does a 360 degrees turn while scoring, he would earn ten points. Three
points will be deducted if the throw is missed. Their uniforms will be an essential
part of their attire. The players will wear snowboarding goggles and helmets
with the matching colors of their team. Their snowboarding outfits would have
numbers and names on them to represent their country.
 
     Commissioners, imagine the fascinating and spectacular scene! Co-ed
football combined with snowboarding! Extravagant jumps and flips in the middle
of a football game would WOW spectators. This new, popular event would
make the the crowd bigger than ever! This would lead to millions of tickets
bought. The number of seats in the stadium would have to be expanded times
100 to accommodate the number of people. People all over the world will
fight for all the judging and refereeing jobs needed. This could lead to greater
revenues being given back to the host cities, a snow field, uniforms, tickets,
airplanes, and hotels will be bursting with so many people.
 
     I know you will consider "Foot-Boarding" to be one of the potentially
greatest sports of the 2018 Games. A versatile mind will establish this new and
original game and a huge crowd. This sport will accomplish everything.
Sincerely,
Emma (6th grade)


Dear Olympic Board of Commissioners,

     I love watching the Olympics with my family in the summer and winter, and I think you do amazing work at your job.

     Now imagine: Tennis on ice!  I have invented a sport with that exact exciting combination.  I call it Tennis Skating!

     Let me explain how I see this new sport.  It will be ten points for a triple toe serve, and one point for a regular serve, like tennis.  Judges use regular tennis rules, and give extra points for figure skating tricks.  Athletes have to wear a tennis skirt and shirt, but they have to be sparkled or point are taken off!

     Every two years this sport could be played!  All athletes from all countries could participate, and that means more medals and more pride.  There would be special equipment and uniforms.  Popular sports lead to more spectators, which leads to more ticket sales, which leads to more money!!

     I remember when I was a child and loved to see new sports.  I hope other children will have my amazing experience.  Bring Tennis Skating to the Olympic Games, and make dreams come true!

                                        Sincerely, Ashley (3rd grade)

     The name of my NEW sport is BobSwim.  It combines bobsledding and swimming.

     There is only one person in the sled.  The rules are you have to flip three times to score 20 points.  Then go as fast as you can into the water!  Don't worry, the bobsled will float.  If you want to know how many points people have, look at the scoreboard.  The bobsleds have a bobcat on the sled, and wavy water lines.  The event is held at the beach, in Santa Cruz.  It's only for boys.

     My NEW sport is super awesome cool!

By Colin (2nd grade)

Would YOU watch any of these sports on TV?  Or would you try out for Team USA?  Feel free to leave a comment and let us know!

What Does the Pledge of Allegiance Mean?

Did you know that Francis Bellamy wrote the Pledge in 1892, but it has since been changed from its original version?  What DO all those huge words in the Pledge of Allegiance mean?  What are we really saying when we put our right hands over our hearts and recite this sentence?  My younger classes studied the Pledge of Allegiance and answered all of these questions by playing a game of Dictionary Races.  One at a time, they looked up all the difficult words from the Pledge, and the fastest teams would read what the word meant.  We then slowly created a "translation" of the Pledge of Allegiance, putting the words into a language more easily understood by 2nd and 3rd graders.  We even had a history lesson about the Civil War, and what it means to live in a "Republic."   Of course, sparkly star stickers and flag art were a must, too!  Here are a couple of samples for you to enjoy.  

(One class got a red background, and the other got white.  I'm not sure which one I like better.... comment below to tell me YOUR favorite!)

The Pledge of Allegiance means:

I promise to be loyal to the flag of the United States of America, and to the government for which it stands, one country under God, undividable, with freedom and fairness for all.

Here is Anjalia's (2nd grade) lovely work: 

 

 Here is Darian's (3rd grade) fabulous work:

Now you know what you are saying when you recite the Pledge of Allegiance!

Thomas Edison's Greatest Invention

Did you know Thomas Edison was born on February 11th, 1847?  Did you know that he invented the phonograph, and tested it out with a short recitation of "Mary Had a Little Lamb?"  Did you know he tried and failed at many combinations hundreds of time before he invented the light bulb?   And did you know he played a very important part in the creation of many other inventions, from the electric train to the electric generator, and improvements on the telegraph and telephone?

This led to a very important discussion in one of my Awesome Authors and Artists classes: What WAS Thomas Edison's most important invention?

We debated, joined sides, and debated some more.  The students did a fabulous job!  They learned how to write persuasively and thought about what life would be like had Edison not invented their object of choice.  Here is what Mira (4th grade) thought Edison's most important invention was.

     Thomas Edison’s most important invention is the phonograph. Without the phonograph, we wouldn’t have recorded music, songs you could listen to whenever you wanted, and much more!

      The phonograph was invented to record music and play it, dance the tango, ballet, and other dances while you listen to it, and was used to record music for the songs in movies. The importance of it today is that we wouldn’t have stereos or tape players without the phonograph. DVDs, CDs, and iPods wouldn’t even exist without the phonograph. The phonograph makes stream from iTunes Radio and radio stations possible.

      Life without the phonograph would mean… no more iTunes and no more recorded music. We wouldn’t be able to listen to music without going to an orchestra or a concert. We wouldn’t be able to listen to classical instruments on CD and we couldn’t listen to modern-day music in the car or on recording. There would never be recorded music for dance recitals, stores, during funerals and weddings, and no more recorded Christmas carols!

      Clearly, Thomas Edison’s most important invention is the phonograph. Without it, life would be still and sad. No joyful music would ring out into the world and you would never listen to beautiful lilts of music that would float pass you down the street. Without recorded music, life would never be the same.

The Snowman Draw Game!

     The Snowman Draw Game is always a favorite of my returning students.  They can't wait to improve upon their results from Monster Draw in the fall, or prove that they are the Adjective Champions once again!

     This game is an excellent lesson in the importance of using adjectives to paint that perfect picture I mentioned in the last blog entry.  If you include adjectives that tell size, shape, color, and number, then your partner should be able to draw your snowman's twin!  Here are the three steps to playing the game:

1. Draw a snowman.  

2. Write a detailed description of your snowman with size, shape, color, and number adjectives in every sentence.

3. Exchange descriptions with a partner, and attempt to draw each other's snowmen.

The class voted on the winners, so here they are!

Samantha's Snowman (2nd grade)

     My snowman's body is shaped like a usual snowman.  Her body is pink.  She has a purple lined tiara.  She has a small triangle on top, then a slightly taller, bigger one, and then a high one in the middle.  Then she has light purple hair which goes to her skirt.  She has pink lips, and the sides are outlined with coal.  She has beautiful coal eyes that have five eyelashes, and one coal nose.   Her middle has a nice light purple plaid sweater that opens in the middle with three buttons instead of coal.  (By the way, it goes on the arms.  Put it at least almost to the hands, but not quite.)  She has five fingers.  Her skirt goes like an umbrella with a pattern of pink and purple (that goes halfway.)  Finally, she has purple high heels. 

 

 Great job, Samantha!

Sienna (2nd grade) did a marvelous job of careful reading and came up with this!

Charlotte's Snowman (3rd grade)  

(Notice how Charlotte broke her description down into paragraphs.  That was part of the lesson, but many children forgot when it came time to write because of the timed element of the game.  Hooray for Charlotte, who did it very well!)

     The whole snowman is outlined in black except for the arms.  My snowman has one BIG round bottom ball.  The middle ball is medium with a natural green vest.  His arms are brown and go a little bit down halfway, and then a little bit up the other half.  His brown hands look like lego hands that are twigs along with the arms.  The head ball is white along with all the others, but it has detail.  It has five little pieces of coal that form a straight line at the bottom.  The eyes are closed and look like capital U's.

     My snowman has two medium black boots.  He ISN'T wearing them.  There are eight big light blue snowflakes that form a rainbow over his head.

     There is a white snowy hill in the back of him.  There is a big yellow sun that shows only a quarter because it's in YOUR right top corner.  The sky is light blue with no clouds in it that takes up all the extra space.

 

The class got a good giggle at this pair.  Tyler (3rd grade) read so very carefully, and he noticed that Charlotte did not mention a nose in her description.  So, he didn't draw one.  That is the ONLY difference in their two pictures, so the class voted for these two as the winners!

Emma's Snowman (5th grade)

     My snowman is medium sized.  It has a large bottom, a medium sized middle part, and a small head.  The head has two black coals for eyes, and seven black coals for a smile.  The hair is fourteen light brown twigs that are sticking up around the head.  It has a blue scarf around the neck, with two ends of the scarf on your left with small strings on the ends of the scarf.  The middle part has two coals in a straight line going up and down.  The middle part has two arms, one on each side, going up ways.  On each light brown arm are three fingers.  On your right, the three fingers are holding a black top hat.  On the bottom is one piece of coal.  The snowman is sitting on a white hill.  On your right of the hill is a light brown bunny with a black collar, black eyes, and a mauve smile.  The background is light blue.

Emma wrote with such great detail that Kiefer (4th grade) came up with this twin!

Ashley's Snowman (3rd grade)
 (Notice how Ashley also split her description up into paragraphs.  This made it so much easier for her partner to read and follow!)

     My snowman has a large silver bottom, a medium silver middle, and a small silver top.

     His face has two circles with dots on them for eyes and a short orange horizontal nose.  He has six coal for a smile, and a black top hat.

     The neck has a medium red scarf, and the middle has three black buttons that are filled in.  He has gold arms and three gold fingers.

     The bottom is plain.

     In the background to his right there is a medium brown cottage with a rectangular door with a gold circle for a knob and a red window to the right of it.  The roof has some snow on it, and the chimney has snow on it too, with smoke coming out of it.  A teal sky is surrounding the snowman and cottage, and in the sky there are thirty-five small star-shaped snowflakes.

     I'm so proud of Ashley and Julia (4th grade).  Ashley played "Monster Draw" in October, and learned a lot on how to improve her descriptive writing skills to come back and win it this time around!  Julia, a first-time student, read carefully and drew this twin.  The class liked Julia's interpretation of "star-shaped snowflakes," and voted for them to win!

Congratulations to our winners!

Super Snowflake Sentences!

We are back in action with a new session across three different schools and four different age groups, and I am thrilled with the work my students have produced so far!

We started off with the basics: Super Sentence Writing.  Our club philosophy is: Paint the perfect picture in the mind of your reader.  Let them see exactly what you intended for them to see when you wrote those words.  And what better way to do that than to focus on making just one sentence the most detailed and vivid as possible?  I love this assignment because I can do it across the grade levels (This term I have grades 2-6), and just add levels of complexity as my students are ready.

We started off with the base sentence: The snowflake falls.  This is a grammatically correct sentence, as it has the necessary components.  However, it is BORING!  We added:

~adjectives
~adverbs
~where phrases and clauses
~when phrases and clauses
~My advanced classes learned how to effectively start a sentence with "Because," and also experimented with the placement of the phrases and clauses in their sentence.

Enjoy these samples across the grade levels!  Notice the variety of sentence styles and starters.  They are excellent!

 The cold, soft snowflake quickly and swiftly falls in the snowy oak tree when Santa's sleigh goes by.

-Colin, 2nd grade

Softly, as if it were dancing, the glistening and sparkling snowflake falls into the snow-covered sledding grounds after school while I'm doing my homework.

-Charlotte, 3rd grade

Because it is Christmas, the small snowflake slowly falls happily by the penguins.

- Hannah, 4th grade

At dawn, the majestic snowflake falls through the bitter air on to the snow white ground mysteriously.

-Emma, 5th grade